Mountain Justice Summer Update

By Anonymous (not verified), 25 July, 2005
Author
jdc

1:59 mp3

A three day march over the last week from Marsh Fork to Sylvester, West Virginia brought protesters from around the country to challenge the coal mining practices of Massey Energy Company, practices that have radically altered the landscape of Appalachia. Jenka soderberg reports from WV:


Chanting “Mountains mean more than money”, hundred local residents and activists marched down the winding mountain road past houses with roofs blackened by coal dust and surrounded by coal silos and strip mines. They are part of an Appalachia-wide campaign called Mountain Justice Summer. Hillary Hosta, an organizer:
<0:58 – talks about mountain justice summer campaign and mountaintop removal “the diverse ecosystem becomes essentially a moonscape”>

The area around Coal River, West Virginia has become a battlefield of sorts, where citizens opposed to the destruction of mountaintops and the building of sludge dams have been standing up to the coal conglomerate Massey Energy Company and have faced intimidation, threats and even assaults as they challenge a company which provides virtually the only source of income for workers in this area.

Ed Wiley is a local organizer who helped found Coal River Mountain Watch:
<0:41 They’re takin the mountains….this is not just here, it’s all of Appalachia, when it’s gone it’s gone forever>